Eye Patches Weigh Less Than Diamonds
by pestofanfic
Summary: Basically a Pirates of the Caribbean-esque AU. This is most likely not going to be historically accurate. Updates will be sporadic per usual.
1. Prologue

"Eye patches weigh less than diamonds dearie. And the most they do is restrict your eyesight, not your breathing."

He gave a pull on her corset tie to prove his point after he'd whispered in her ear.

Her tongue wet her lips before she took a shaky breath and spoke, "Would you guarantee the safety of this port? You'd never return here?"

He smirked and waltzed around to stand in front of her, "I will never set sail for this port ever again if you climb aboard my ship and leave your title behind."

"Upon your honor will you swear it?"

He let out a high-pitched laugh at that, "You want a deal based on the honor of a pirate?"

Her expression was solemn and did not change, "But you're no ordinary pirate. You're Rumpelstiltskin. You never break a deal."

"I see my reputation precedes me," he gave a low bow. "Now dearie, are you going to come willingly or am I to send my men to continue pillaging your father's port?"


	2. La petite mort

The journey was a rough one and so was the hulking man who tossed her into a cabin deep in the bowels of the grand ship. The man shut the door behind her and a lock clunked into place. She sat down on a short wooden stool, but then immediately stood up again to start pacing. The reality of her situation was crashing down since the adrenaline from her encounter with the golden captain was gone. A glance around her surroundings made her refusal not to cry a bit more difficult. The wooden stool was the only human touch; the rest of her "chamber" was drenched in sea-water and showed the wear and tear of that constant salty coat. Her dainty shoes were already soaked through and the bottom of her golden nightgown was a sopping mess.

She sat down and decided enough was enough and lifted the skirt up to her knee then ripped off the extra fabric. There was no use at attempting propriety on a pirate ship so showing her shins wouldn't be too much of a problem. And it was better than being stuck in a dank cell in a wet-bottomed dress. The diamonds at her throat had already been taken from her along with her mother's single pearl necklace. The latter was a loss far worse than any riches taken from port. Brushing the thought aside she took a deep breath and made an attempt at gathering some strength.

Since she felt a bit more comfortable, snorting at the thought of what "comfort" a ripped dress brought her, she considered what she needed to do now. Her possibilities were limited and escaping to swim back to her father's port was out of the question due to the deal she made with the ship's captain. But escaping wasn't exactly out of the question. She just needed to either bide her time now in her cell or escape her prison and bide her time in hiding within the ship before the pirates reached their next port. Or she could just sit back and see what life on the ship would be like, if she was ever let out of her cell. She might enjoy being a pirate, at least there was adventure… along with pillaging. Pillaging didn't sound all that wonderful, but she would travel to new lands. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the clanging of the lock again. She got off the stool and awaited her visitor, only to be disappointed when it turned out to be a bearded man with the usual prisoner food, water and bread.

The man looked her up and down and sneered at her dress. Anger boiled up in her and when he bent down she took her chance, grabbed the stool and knocked him across the head. He fell into the food and she darted out the door. She glanced around to see dark halls and men at the end of them. Her escape plan was quickly falling apart so she ran to the exit with the least men. There was a staircase leading up and a rope ladder leading further down under the ship. She heard a man yelling on the deck above and chose the ladder. There was no way she would find a way out of this, but she knew she had to try. The ladder lead to a cellar filled with barrels so she ducked behind the closest stack and crawled to the next row. Footsteps thundered above her and she finally saw a ray of metaphorical light in the form of a porthole. She continued to crawl and only stood up when she was close enough to the open porthole. She looked around for something that might assist her in the water, but her quick search was all for naught. The footsteps from above were now with her below so she took a breath and crawled through the window diving ungracefully into the water.

The icy water went straight to her veins and she struggled to swim back up to the top. Her eyes opened and the darkness burned them, blacker than night. Tumultuous waves rocked her body back and forth as she attempted to swim as far away from the ship as she could. Her body started slowing down and she knew it was the end. She closed her eyes and stopped attempting to swim, just letting the waves take her.

* * *

"Wake up dearie. You're a prisoner you can't just stay in my bed all day."

Her eyes opened and she knew she was in hell because the room was so bright and she could still feel the rocking of the boat, but the bed was so soft and welcoming that she closed them and curled deeper into the soft quilt.

Hands reached towards her to bring her back into the light, "Ah, ah, ah, we can't have that. I know it's soft, but now that your lungs aren't filled with the ocean and your broken ribs are fine you can get back to your quarters."

Belle sat up a little bit, "I said that aloud?"

His malicious giggle erupted and she wanted to crawl back under the cover, but he was still holding her by the arms, "You did. You talk a lot in your sleep I'll have you know. Quite interesting information I gained without one bit of torture. Now it's time for you to get out of the bed and back to your prison cell."

"I don't exactly understand how I'm a prisoner if I came here willingly," she said haughtily as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and looked around. The room was surprisingly comforting for the lair of a ruthless pirate captain. The giant bed she was in dominated the room, but there was a desk with a map pinned to it and a spinning wheel in the corner. There was a surprising amount of light as well, which reflected off the captain's gold flecked skin in a slightly delightful way. He saw that she was staring at him and turned to draw the shades across the room's windows.

"Those who attempt to escape their locked cell are usually known as prisoners. Especially when they attack their guard," he replied with a smirk. He made no move to force her off the edge of the bed, seemingly wary of her condition.

"Well maybe those guards shouldn't let their eyes wander," she matched his smirk with a cold smile and attempted to stand up, only to fall back on the bed with a dizzy spell.

He was by her side in an instant, "You know you're becoming a lot more trouble than I originally assumed you would be."

She laughed, felt even dizzier, and proceeded to lie back down, "You should never assume, you'll only make an ass out of yourself."

"You've got quite the tongue on you. Here," he grabbed a mug of water, "get some fresh water in your system."

"No, you've probably poisoned it," she yawned.

"Why would I poison it, you daft girl? If I wanted to kill you I would have left you in the ocean rather than use my magic to heal your ribs." He stood up in a huff and left the room.

"Magic?" she murmured sleepily before she fell back into the darkness.

* * *

When Belle awoke the second time it was far darker than before, but just as comfy. _At least he hasn't forced you back into the cell _yet, she pondered. The room was lit by what seemed to be a few flickering candles placed around the room. She turned and downed the mug of water next to the bed. She lay back listening to the sounds of the waves against the boat while attempting to get used to the constant movement. She had grown up around boats, but she always enjoyed land better than the open sea. On land she could run and skip without fear of falling overboard anywhere. Her stomach grumbled and she considered the food next to the mug of water. He had been aghast when she accused him of putting poison in the water… Hunger outweighing her skepticism of possible poison, she tucked into the bread and fruit Rumpelstiltskin must have laid out for her while she was sleeping.

Once she was finished, not poisoned, and quite satisfied she decided her time to investigate was upon her. The captain's reputation preceded him, but the only true signs of cruelness he had exhibited towards her was when he locked her in a cell. Otherwise he had left her to recuperate in what he said was his quarters after he'd used his magic to save her.

Magic.

He said he used his magic to heal her. She got up from the bed and tip-toed to the desk with the candle that was on the table with the water. She held it close to the map pinned to the desk and saw the world laid out before her. It was the very same map one of her tutors had showed her in her geography lessons, only on a much larger and more in depth scale. After she noted his scrawl on various continents, and a bit of shimmering around the edges of the map she didn't quite understand, she continued to investigate the tiny room. In the corner was a spinning wheel with what looked to be golden string piled next to it. She stepped closer to touch it, but was interrupted by a sharp giggle.

"Well it looks like the cat's all better now and quite curious. You do know what curiosity did to the cat don't you?" he sneered.

This was the beastly reputation that had preceded him.

Choosing to ignore his tone she replied, "Is that real gold? Do you spin it?"

He seemed a bit taken aback by her blatant disregard for his theatrics, "Don't the stories tell of my great powers?"

She shook her head and stepped closer to him, "No most stories stick on the superficial details, rather than the more intriguing ones. Like magic."

"Well it all depends on the land dearie."

"The land?" she asked.

He nodded his head and crossed to the desk, "Yes. See you're from this land," he pointed to her town on a tiny continent, "a land without magic. Whereas in these lands," he gestured to three other landmasses that hadn't been on the map before, "are lands with magic. The most your people ever see is the skin and the terror."

"Are we going to these lands?" she asked excitement in her eyes as she looked at the new areas on the map.

He wiped them away with a swish of his hand leaving only the faint shimmering from before, "Perhaps, for now you're going back to your cabin."

"You can hardly call it a cabin," she scoffed. "I wanted to join you, so how about you treat me like a member of the crew rather than a prisoner."

He emitted the highest and cruelest giggle and smiled a cruel twisted grin, "If you join the crew in your current status you'll get worse than Mr. Smee's wandering eyes." He gestured to her current ripped nightgown. "Trust me you're better off in your cabin."

"Actually it seems I'm better off in _your _cabin, so how about we make a deal?" she said proudly.

"A deal?" he asked with a glimmer in his eye. "Dearie you're not worming your way into keeping my cabin to yourself and learning all of my secrets no matter what you may have to… offer." He stepped closer and tugged lightly at her dress's sleeve.

She knew he was trying to frighten her and in an attempt to cover her heightened heart rate she took a shuddering breath which made him smirk. She continued as if she hadn't seen that, "Oh I understand that, but seeing as my clothes and shoes are in disrepair why don't I work for you like a crew member and wear crew clothes? Petticoats, heels, and diamonds really aren't my style anyway."

"I would be awfully sorry to see this gold gown go to waste though and that corset…" he stepped even closer to her to touch the tight bodice. She held her ground and looked him straight in the eye. "I suppose I could whip something up, but dearie it's hard work being a pirate, especially one of _my_ pirates."

"What do you expect me to do? Wallow in my cell forever? I came here to save my father and people. I came for adventure, not to be one of your prisoners Rumpelstiltskin!"

He stepped back and gave her a soft smile, sizing her anger up. She returned it warily and then felt a soft buzzing around her body as her clothes transformed before her eyes. She looked down to see the gown had changed into a billowing golden shirt kept tight by her same corset on the outside and some loose pants.

"You really had to keep the corset?"

"Well I had to leave something appealing to the eye. And weren't you ever taught some manners by your governess? A simple thank you might suffice," he growled.

"But I haven't any shoes. Would you have me swab the decks barefoot or are you going to magic up some golden glass slippers to go with my shirt?" she smiled sweetly.

He bit his lip to hide the smirk threatening to appear at her cheek, "Oh glass slippers are not my style dearie. How about…these?"

With a flourish of his hands she had tough leather shoes with a gold buckle fitted perfectly for her feet. "They'll do I suppose, but what about my eye patch?"

"Oh dearie, you'll have to watch yourself out on the decks. That tongue of yours may be amusing, but it'll get you into some trouble that even I may not get you out of."

She gasped, "What? The great captain can't even control his own crew members? Maybe it's time for coup?"

"It's not that I can't, I may just find myself unwillingly to control them if a certain blue-eyed cat gets herself into trouble too deep for her." That threat gave her chills which made him smile as he saw the shudder run through her body. "Ah the cat does have some fear. I was beginning to wonder. Now it's time for you to go out and meet the crew you'll be working with."

* * *

**I have absolutely no excuses. Chapter title comes from a song on ****Cœur de pirate's 2011 album entitled Blonde. I do not mean to use it as the modern sexual translation but more along the lines of "brief loss or weakening of consciousness." (Honestly it's a rough chapter, a rough title and translation theory, but I just love the artist and wanted to incorporate her songs into this story.) BUT don't worry Belle isn't going to be fainting all over the place. She's a spitfire who's a little tuckered out. -KT**


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